Sometimes in football, certain results feel like the end of the road is coming for an under-pressure manager.
If the pressure wasn’t already mounting on Gary O’Neil’s back after a disappointing 4-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth, it’s certainly red-hot now, as his dire Wolverhampton Wanderers outfit folded at Goodison Park to lose 4-0 to Sean Dyche’s usually goal-shy Toffees.
This could well be the final straw for the powers that be at Molineux, with the likes of Craig Dawson letting the visitors down with a car-crash display defensively to potentially cost the 44-year-old his job.
Dawson's performance in numbers
In truth, Dawson’s 300th career game in the Premier League couldn’t have gone much worse, as the former West Ham United centre-back scored two own goals to make Everton’s win much more comprehensive.
The experienced defender would unfortunately connect with a corner and free-kick in a second-half display that left a lot to be desired from the perspective of the away side, who will travel back to the West Midlands completely shot of confidence.
Away from his two shambolic own goals, Dawson also struggled to get stuck in and stop the likes of Dwight McNeil, having only tallied up one tackle.
The below-par number 15 would somehow last the entire 90 minutes, after only lasting one half of football versus Bournemouth, but it’s unclear whether he will be a starter for Wolves’ next game in the Premier League away at West Ham – who have their own manager concerns to contend with.
Dawson wasn’t the only one who put in an abject showing at the back, however, with the display of Santiago Bueno in the heart of defence also causing mass groans in the away end at Goodison Park.
Bueno's performance in numbers
Bueno didn’t have the same cursed luxury as the 34-year-old in lasting the full contest, having been put out of his misery on the 77th-minute mark by O’Neil for Toti Gomes to get a late run-out.
He would have been thankful for that substitution as the Uruguayan was way off the pace, much like his sorry teammate in Dawson.
Stat
Bueno
Minutes played
77
Touches
59
Accurate passes
41/54 (76%)
Clearances
2
Blocked shots
0
Interceptions
0
Total duels won
3/6
Possession lost
13x
Stats by Sofascore
Looking at the table above, Bueno was equally as ropey as his seasoned defensive teammate, with possession squandered 13 times from the 26-year-old when he was still on the pitch, alongside failing to register a single blocked shot or interception.
Both Bueno and Dawson putting in these shoddy displays wouldn’t be too much of a shock to the Wolves fanbase watching on, however, who have now seen their relegation-threatened side leak an alarming 36 goals from just 14 league encounters.
Therefore, if O’Neil continues to fail in inspiring his troops to turn around their shocking fortunes, the time could be right for a fresh approach in the dug-out, with this display perhaps signalling the end of the road is here for the ex-Bournemouth manager.
Rumours had already been circling in recent weeks regarding his future – this will only add fuel to the fire.
Performance in Numbers
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Of course, the blame isn’t all with the under-fire boss, with the likes of Bueno and Co majorly off the boil, as Wolves look to pick up a positive result away at the Hammers next to cut through the doom and gloom with or without O’Neil at the helm.
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